Promising flu vaccine derived from tobacco plant passes clinical trials
The recent development, promises to be a huge boost to the annual fight against the seasonal flu, as plants can be engineered to produce viral proteins and cultivated at scale.
Canada
Canadian experiment giving homeless people $7500 proves promising
The New Leaf project took 115 homeless people who were confirmed not to have serious mental or substance abuse problems, and put $7,500 in the pockets of 50 of them to see if they could turn their life around. One entire year later, most recipients still had $1,000 in savings and 67% were could still feed themselves every day.
Canada to ban single-use plastic bags, straws, and cutlery in 2021
Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change announced the next steps in the government’s plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030, including a ban on single-use plastic items such as plastic checkout bags, straws, stir sticks, six-pack rings, cutlery, and more next year.
Canada grants first legal exemptions for psilocybin use in 50 years
Four terminally ill cancer patients in Canada have now been approved to use psilocybin to treat end-of-life distress. These patients will be the first to legally use the psychedelic in Canada for almost half a century.
Insurance company Zurich drops coverage for Trans Mountain oil pipeline
The Trans Mountain pipeline’s annual liability insurance contract had shown Zurich was the lead insurer for the pipeline. The insurance, which provides $508 million of cover, runs to August 2020.
Canada to ban assault-style weapons
Canada’s government is set to announce a ban on assault-style weapons following a deadly shooting in Nova Scotia this month that killed 22 people.
Kind Canadians start ‘caremongering’ trend amid pandemic
More than 35 Facebook groups have been set up in 72 hours to serve communities in places including Ottawa, Halifax and Annapolis County in Nova Scotia, with more than 30,000 members between them.
Nova Scotia will officially be home to North America’s first whale sanctuary
Nova Scotia will be the official home base to the first whale sanctuary in North America, with whales expected in the water just off the coast of Port Hilford before the end of 2021.
$500M investment means construction to start on Canada’s largest solar farm this year
The project will consist of 1.5 million solar panels that will create 500 jobs and generate about 800 million kWh per year, enough to power more than 100,000 homes.
British Columbia government to offer 24/7 mental health support to post-secondary students
The Province has selected Morneau Shepell to develop a free mental health counselling and referral service for post-secondary students throughout British Columbia.